Texas Health Huguley Hospital Fort Worth South
I can still remember watching the reruns of the original “Lost in Space” sci-fi classic with my mom after school as a kid. The robot on this program loomed ominous in various high-tension scenes, as he would spout the iconic line, “Danger Will Robinson, danger!” For some odd reason this is what I think about whenever someone mentions robotic technology. Call it naïve, call it what you will, but I've always feel a sense of apprehension when I think of robots in realms that humans usually inhabit — specifically the medical field.
However, I’m beginning to see that my uneducated bias, is, well just that, uneducated. Over the past 24 hours, two North Texas hospitals have reported two successful surgical outcomes using robotic technology.
The first announcement came from Texas Health Huguley Hospital Fort Worth South. It was there that Dr. Brian Gengler and his surgical team successfully performed the hospital’s very first robotic assisted spine surgery using the ExcelsiusGPS™ by Globus Medical.
“This innovative procedure marks a significant advancement in the field of spine surgery, combining the precision of robotics with the expertise of our skilled surgeons,” the hospital posted on Facebook.
According to this post, robotic spine surgery offers numerous benefits, including enhanced accuracy, reduced recovery times, and minimized risks. Apparently using robotic tech in the operating room actually benefits the surgical team in charge of performing these complex medical procedures.
“This achievement is a testament to our commitment to providing cutting-edge medical care and improving the quality of life for our patients,” the post continued.
And although the second robotic surgical breakthrough happened in Dallas, it doesn’t make it any less significant.
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas successfully completed a surgical procedure using a robotic device called the da Vinci 5 surgical system, which is one of two in Texas and one of 14 in the world.
“We are thrilled to become one of the first health systems in the world to acquire the new da Vinci 5,” said Texas Health Dallas president Christopher York in a release. “Surgeons who operate at Texas Health Dallas have a great deal of experience in robotic-assisted, minimally-invasive surgery and this new tool reflects our commitment to providing access to high-quality, excellent care for our patients in North Texas and beyond.”
This robot offers more than 150 new enhancements that help support surgeons and their teams during an operation, by supplying 3D displays and image processing. The da Vinci 5 also provides surgeons with a series of controllers that make their movements “smoother and more precise.”
This new system also helps streamline a surgical room’s workflow with an optimized user interface.
But this new robotic system isn’t just for major procedures, it can also be used across a wide spectrum of minimally invasive surgical procedures. This could result in patients experiencing reduced trauma, shorter hospital stays, reduced blood loss, less post-operative pain and discomfort, less risk of infection, and less scarring.
This is far from the old television series motif that has haunted me since viewing it. It seems, robots are more than our allies, they can also be instrumental to our well-being as humans.
“At Texas Health Dallas we’re continually looking at advances in technology to enhance the care we provide our community,” said Tiffany Northern, chief operating officer. “As a Level 1 trauma center, we care for everyone from complex traumas to major cardiac events. We look forward to using the new system to continue to fulfill our Mission of improving the health of the people in the communities we serve.”
